Back in Ko Phi Phi
Trip Start
Apr 16, 2008
1
10
33
Trip End
Aug 11, 2008
Ko Phi Phi,
Thailand
Thursday, May 15, 2008
We arrived in Phi Phi at 10am. This gave us plenty of time to find cheap accomodation and luckly having been here previously we knew a few places so we could fob off all the touts who swarm you for your custom (Expensive guest houses) as you get off the ferry. We decided to try Gypsy village 2 and it turned out 100B cheaper ( 1 pound 50 pence) than Gypsy Village 1, result :).
Once we had settled into the accomadation we wnt down to Long beach for a swim and a chat about the possibility of doing an open water diving course. Christina took a little bit of persuation but we got there and finally booked a course with Aquanaughts Scuba club. Our instructor was Laura, who was geat 'for sure'. Christina did a two day scuba course whilst Sam did the three day open water diving course and scraped through the theory exam.
Sam: I loved every bit about the course right up until I took the theory exam and couldn't get my head around the tables and pressure groups, but managed to scrap through :)
After we had signed onto our courses we went for a really cheap, but lovely meal in the local bakery, which seemed to do everything.
Fri 16th May
The start of our dive course :)
We woke up really early and got down to the dive centre for 8:40am to start the first 3 chapters of the theory involved in the course. By mid afternoon we had completed the theory and spent the rest of the afternoon doing confined water skills down on the beach. This included removing your mask in the water and making sure you could breathe properly out of your regulator.
In the evening we were both really nackered and decided to revisit the bakery for dinner. We then collapsed early and slept like logs
Sat 16th May
The second day of the dive course involved getting up at 6:30am to be down by the ferry point to be on a dive boat by 7:30am. We then had a 30 minute boat ride from Phi Phi to the dive site, which was at Bida Nai and Bida Nok. These were two uninhabitable islands used for diving during the monsoon period.
Our first dive included going down to 11m and becoming familiar with our surroundings. The highlights of our first dive had to be seeing a lion fish, a scorpion fish and yellow box fish. We then had a 2 hour break (Sam: Back to pressure group B :) ) that involved a free lunch and a chat with the other divers. On out second dive we went down to 5m to begin with and practised a fin pivot and mask and regulator removal. After we had done the skills required we went down to 11m again and the highlight of this dive had to be observing a hawksbill turtle munching on bubble coral (Amazing).
We then returned to Phi Phi mid afternoon. Sam then went back to the dive centre for more theory and exams whilst Christina went off to the beach.
In the evening Christina returned to the dive centre (Beers in hand) to find Sam still doing exams so precided to get hammered with Laura and her boyfriend Hugo (Another dive instructor).
Sam: I finally completed all the theory at 7p.m (Long day) and came downstairs to find Christina a dribbling mess and a tiny sip of beer, apparently left for me. However, I think Christina had reached her limit ;)
Sun 17th May
Final day of the dive course for Sam
I got up at 6:30am and left Christina happily asleep in bed. I then got down to the pier for 7:30am again and left for the final 2 dives. We retured to Koh Bida Nok & Nai. The first dive involved practising, amongst others, removing your BCD in water and navagation by compass, which wasn't my strongest skill :) (Dad and Jo will back me up on that). After all the skills were down we had a free dive to 18 metres and the highlights of the dive were to see a tiger tail sea horse well hiden in the rocks and a few titan trigger fish. We then had an hours break on the surface. I completed my final dive as a free dive and the highlights were observing a squamose giant clam and yellow box fish as well as completing the course :)
Christina spent the morning (after a big lie in) getting a passport photo done for her diving licence and then sunbathed on the beach. We then both met up at the dive center mid afternoon and spent the afternoon with Hugo and Laura, who we got on with really well.
In the evening we decided to visit a local stall for food. The local stool had an amazing choice of chicken, fish, beef and squid as well as papiya salad, sticky rice and plenty others. We went for papita salad, chicken and sticky rice (Amazing food). Sam then went off to bed absolutely shattered and Christina joined Hugo and Laura for a drink.
Monday 18th
After a busy few days we decided to spend the day realxing on the beach and eating in the bakery (Again). We then set about packing our stuff ready for departure to Krabi and onto the border crossing in Song Kolok.
Tues 20th
We started the day with a ferry trip from Phi Phi to krabi, which left at 9a.m. and took 1hr30mins. Once we had landed in Krabi we then got on a 4 hour bus ride to Hat Yai. After this we then got on another bus for a further 4 hours to arrive at the border. We were dropped at the Thai side of the border and then told to walk over the border and get a taxi the other side. On the Malaysian side of the border they were waiting for us and had left the border open just for us :) We eventually got into Malaysia, after passport checks, at 10p.m local time (1 hour ahead of Thailand). After corossing the border we got a taxi with three Canadians and ended up in Kota Burah 'Ideal Hostel' at 11p.m.
